US5754185A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for blending pixels of a source object and destination plane
Assignee: Transpacific IP Ltd
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Filing: 1996-02-08
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Granted: 1998-05-19
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Expires: 2016-02-08
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for blending pixels of a source object and a destination plane of view of 3-D space. The source object overlaps the destination plane of view. Furthermore, the 3-D space may contain an atmospheric light diffusion, i.e., fog or smoke, which produces a "fog effect." The apparatus includes multiplexer circuitry which receives first, second, third, fourth and fifth control signals. The multiplexer circuitry also receives a fog blend factor, a source alpha, a destination alpha, a source color, a destination color, a fog color and one. In response to the control signals, the multiplexer circuitry selects three outputs. In particular, in response to the first, second and third control signals, the multiplexer selects as the first output, either: the destination alpha, the source alpha, the fog blend factor, one, the destination color, or one minus one of the aforementioned choices. In response to the first, fourth and fifth control signals, the multiplexer circuitry selects as the second output either: the destination alpha, the source alpha, the fog blend factor, one, the source color, or one minus one of the aforementioned choices. In response to the first control signal, the multiplexer circuitry selects as the third output the destination color or the fog color. The apparatus also includes calculation circuitry which produces a first product, of the source color and the first output of the multiplexer circuitry, produces a second product of the second and third outputs of the multiplexer circuitry, and thereafter adds the two products together.
Inventors
- 👤 Jan-Han Hsiao
- 👤 Wei-Kuo Chia
- 👤 Chun-Kai Huang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:22
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T15/00; G06T15/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for blending the pixels of a source object and a destination plane of view of 3-D space comprising the steps of: (a) in response to a first control signal, selecting either a source alpha or a fog blend factor which is a linear function of the Z buffer value of the pixels, (b) in response to a second control signal, selecting a destination alpha, the value selected in step (a), one, or a destination color, (c) in response to a third control signal, selecting the value selected in step (b) or one minus the value selected in step (b), (d) in response to a fourth control signal, selecting a destination alpha, the value selected in step (a), one, or a source color, (e) in response to a fifth control signal, selecting either the value selected in said step (d), or one minus the value selected in step (d), (f) in response to said first control signal, selecting either a fog color or a destination color, and (g) adding a first product, of said source color and the value selected in step (c), to a second product, of the value selected in step (e) and the value selected in step (f).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for blending the pixels of a source object and a destination plane of view of 3-D space comprising the steps of: (a) in response to a first control signal, selecting either a source alpha or a fog blend factor which is a linear function of the Z buffer value of the pixels, (b) in response to a second control signal, selecting a destination alpha, the value selected in step (a), one, or a destination color, (c) in response to a third control signal, selecting the value selected in step (b) or one minus the value selected in step (b), (d) in response to a fourth control signal, selecting a destination alpha, the value selected in step (a), one, or a source color, (e) in response to a fifth control signal, selecting either the value selected in said step (d), or one minus the value selected in step (d), (f) in response to said first control signal, selecting either a fog color or a destination color, and (g) adding a first product, of said source color and the value selected in step (c), to a second product, of the value selected in step (e) and the value selected in step (f).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: dividing said sum by a value depending on the maximum number of bits permitted for said destination color, and selecting the minimum of a maximum predetermined threshold or said quotient produced in said step of dividing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: selecting said source alpha in said step (a), selecting said source alpha in said step (b), selecting one minus said source alpha in said step (c), selecting said source alpha in said step (d), selecting said source alpha in said step (e), and selecting said destination color in said step (f), wherein said first product equals said source color multiplied with one minus said source blend factor, and wherein said second product equals said destination color multiplied with said source alpha.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: selecting said fog blend factor in said step (a), selecting said fog blend factor in said step (d), selecting said fog blend factor in said step (e), and selecting said fog color in said step (f), wherein said second product equals said fog color multiplied with one minus said fog blend factor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 4, wherein, in an RGBA mode, said method further comprises the steps of: selecting said fog blend factor in said step (b), selecting said fog blend factor in said step (c), wherein said first product equals said source color multiplied with said fog blend factor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 4, wherein, in a color index mode, said method further comprises the steps of: selecting one in said step (b), selecting one in said step (c), wherein said first product equals said source color.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
237 words
An apparatus for blending pixels of a source object and a destination plane of view of 3-D space which may contain fog, said apparatus comprising: multiplexer circuitry, receiving first, second, third, fourth and fifth control signals, a fog blend factor which is a linear function of the Z buffer value of the pixels, a source alpha, a destination alpha, a source color, a destination color, a fog color and one, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a first output, in response to said first, second and third control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said destination color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said destination color, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a second output, in response to said first, fourth and fifth control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said source color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said source color, and said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a third output, in response to said first control signal, said destination color or said fog color, and calculation circuitry for adding a first product, of said source color and said first output of said multiplexer circuitry, to a second product, of said second and third outputs of said multiplexer circuitry.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
237 words
An apparatus for blending pixels of a source object and a destination plane of view of 3-D space which may contain fog, said apparatus comprising: multiplexer circuitry, receiving first, second, third, fourth and fifth control signals, a fog blend factor which is a linear function of the Z buffer value of the pixels, a source alpha, a destination alpha, a source color, a destination color, a fog color and one, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a first output, in response to said first, second and third control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said destination color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said destination color, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a second output, in response to said first, fourth and fifth control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said source color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said source color, and said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a third output, in response to said first control signal, said destination color or said fog color, and calculation circuitry for adding a first product, of said source color and said first output of said multiplexer circuitry, to a second product, of said second and third outputs of said multiplexer circuitry.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
187 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said multiplexer circuitry comprises: (a) a first multiplexer for, in response to said first control signal, selecting either said source alpha or said fog blend factor, (b) a second multiplexer for, in response to said second control signal, selecting said destination alpha, the value selected by said first multiplexer, one, or said destination color, (c) a third multiplexer for, in response to said third control signal, selecting as said first multiplexer circuitry output the value selected by said second multiplexer or one minus the value selected by said second multiplexer, (d) a fourth multiplexer for, in response to said fourth control signal, selecting said destination alpha, the value selected by said first multiplexer, one, or said source color, (e) a fifth multiplexer for, in response to said fifth control signal, selecting as said second multiplexer circuitry output the value selected by said fourth multiplexer, or one minus the value selected by said fourth multiplexer, and (f) a sixth multiplexer for, in response to said first control signal, selecting as said third multiplexer circuitry output said fog color or said destination color.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said calculation circuitry comprises: (g1) a first multiplier for multiplying said source color with said first multiplexer circuitry output to produce said first product, (g2) a second multiplier for multiplying said second multiplexer circuitry output with said third multiplexer circuitry output to produce said second product, and (g3) an adder for adding together said first and second products.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising: (h) a divider for dividing the sum produced by said adder by a particular value selected depending on the maximum number of bits permitted in said destination color, and (i) a scaling circuit for selecting the minimum of a predetermined maximum threshold intensity and the quotient produced by said divider.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said multiplexer circuitry selects one minus said source alpha as said first output, said source alpha as said second output and said destination color as said third output and wherein said first product equals said source color multiplied with one minus said source alpha, and wherein said second product equals said destination color multiplied with said source alpha.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said multiplexer circuitry selects one minus said fog blend factor as said second output and said fog color as said third output and wherein said second product equals said fog color multiplied with one minus said fog blend factor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, in an RGBA mode, said multiplexer circuitry selects said fog blend factor as said first output and wherein said first product equals said source color multiplied with said fog blend factor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, in a color index mode, said multiplexer circuitry selects one as sad first output and wherein said first product equals said source color.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
274 words
A graphics processor comprising: a drawing processor, for determining pixels of a source object in 3-D space, and a blending circuit for blending said pixels of said source object and pixels of a particular destination plane of view of 3-D space, which source object overlaps said particular destination plane of view of 3-D space which may contain fog, said blending circuit comprising: multiplexer circuitry, receiving first, second, third, fourth and fifth control signals, a fog blend factor which is a linear function of the Z buffer value of the pixels, a source alpha, a destination alpha, a source color, a destination color, a fog color and one, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a first output, in response to said first, second and third control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said destination color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said destination color, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a second output, in response to said first, fourth and fifth control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said source color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said source color, and said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a third output, in response to said first control signal, said destination color or said fog color, and calculation circuitry for adding a first product, of said source color and said first output of said multiplexer circuitry, to a second product, of said second and third outputs of said multiplexer circuitry.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
274 words
A graphics processor comprising: a drawing processor, for determining pixels of a source object in 3-D space, and a blending circuit for blending said pixels of said source object and pixels of a particular destination plane of view of 3-D space, which source object overlaps said particular destination plane of view of 3-D space which may contain fog, said blending circuit comprising: multiplexer circuitry, receiving first, second, third, fourth and fifth control signals, a fog blend factor which is a linear function of the Z buffer value of the pixels, a source alpha, a destination alpha, a source color, a destination color, a fog color and one, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a first output, in response to said first, second and third control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said destination color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said destination color, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a second output, in response to said first, fourth and fifth control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said source color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said source color, and said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a third output, in response to said first control signal, said destination color or said fog color, and calculation circuitry for adding a first product, of said source color and said first output of said multiplexer circuitry, to a second product, of said second and third outputs of said multiplexer circuitry.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
307 words
A computer system comprising: a processor, a bus connected to said processor, a graphics processor connected to said bus, said graphics processor comprising: a drawing processor, for determining pixels of a source object in 3-D space, and a blending circuit for blending said pixels of said source object and pixels of a particular destination plane of view of 3-D space, which source object overlaps said particular destination plane of view of 3-D space which may contain fog, said blending circuit comprising: multiplexer circuitry, receiving first, second, third, fourth and fifth control signals, a fog blend factor, a source alpha, a destination alpha, a source color, a destination color, a fog color and one, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a first output, in response to said first, second and third control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said destination color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said destination color, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a second output, in response to said first, fourth and fifth control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said source color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said source color, and said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a third output, in response to said first control signal, said destination color or said fog color, and calculation circuitry for adding a first product, of said source color and said first output of said multiplexer circuitry, to a second product, of said second and third outputs of said multiplexer circuitry, a frame buffer connected to said graphics processor for storing pixels of said destination, and a display device for displaying said pixels stored in same frame buffer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
307 words
A computer system comprising: a processor, a bus connected to said processor, a graphics processor connected to said bus, said graphics processor comprising: a drawing processor, for determining pixels of a source object in 3-D space, and a blending circuit for blending said pixels of said source object and pixels of a particular destination plane of view of 3-D space, which source object overlaps said particular destination plane of view of 3-D space which may contain fog, said blending circuit comprising: multiplexer circuitry, receiving first, second, third, fourth and fifth control signals, a fog blend factor, a source alpha, a destination alpha, a source color, a destination color, a fog color and one, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a first output, in response to said first, second and third control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said destination color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said destination color, said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a second output, in response to said first, fourth and fifth control signals, said destination alpha, said source alpha, said fog blend factor, one, said source color, one minus said destination alpha, one minus said source alpha, one minus said fog blend factor, zero, or one minus said source color, and said multiplexer circuitry selecting as a third output, in response to said first control signal, said destination color or said fog color, and calculation circuitry for adding a first product, of said source color and said first output of said multiplexer circuitry, to a second product, of said second and third outputs of said multiplexer circuitry, a frame buffer connected to said graphics processor for storing pixels of said destination, and a display device for displaying said pixels stored in same frame buffer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-05-18 | 2001-11-17 | 2002-05-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-18 | 2005-11-17 | 2006-05-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-18 | 2009-11-17 | 2010-05-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |